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Urban Regeneration MSc

London, Bloomsbury

Urban Regeneration MSc prepares you to address the challenge of urban decline and the planned recovery of our neighbourhoods, towns, and cities around the world. You will gain a critical understanding of how social, economic, environmental, and physical vulnerabilities underpin urban decline and how to address them. You will also gain essential skills and knowledge in planning, urban design, real estate, community engagement, and the governance and management of urban regeneration projects. 

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£19,300
£9,650
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£39,200
£19,600
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

An upper second-class honours Bachelor's degree (or higher) from a UK university or an overseas qualification of equivalent standing is required. There is no particular subject requirement as the MSc provides an 'initial' planning and urban regeneration education for graduates with cognate or non-cognate degrees. Where candidates fail to meet the standard requirement (i.e. they hold a degree of a lower classification), the department will take into account professional experience when deciding whether to admit. Applicants who do not hold an upper second-class degree may, in exceptional cases, be admitted to the programme if they are able to demonstrate considerable senior-level professional experience in planning or a related field (but in all cases a minimum of a 2:2 is required).

The English language level for this course is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

From neighbourhoods, to towns, and whole cities, urban areas around the world go through cycles of growth and decline, making the need for urban regeneration inevitable. There is a need for professionals with a deep understanding of urban regeneration to lead regeneration efforts. This MSc addresses the challenges of rejuvenating or restructuring declining areas in response to changes to the functioning of contemporary urban environments. We place social value at the heart of urban regeneration, critically exploring how to deliver urban transformations that benefit existing communities while maximising those places’ strengths and opportunities.

During your degree you:

  • Use case studies from different places across the world to explore how, and to what extent, the governance, planning, design, and management of the built environment can help to regenerate areas identified as places in decline. 
  • Acquire the latest knowledge of the social, economic, environmental, and design issues involved in regenerating urban areas.
  • Acquire key concepts and tools to deliver regeneration projects, such as community engagement, procurement processes, evaluation of projects, and real estate dynamics.
  • Explore real-world projects engaging with multi-disciplinary case studies of urban regeneration schemes.
  • Experience urban regeneration projects and challenges in-situ through a residential field trip and sites visits.
  • Get experience delivering urban regeneration projects, diagnosing problems in a London locality and generating policy or intervention proposals in student teams.
  • Explore your own interests, choosing elective modules from across UCL and our faculty.

Who this course is for

This degree is ideal for both recent graduates and experienced professionals looking to build or expand their careers in urban regeneration. Our students come from a wide range of academic backgrounds, including urban planning, economics, sociology, anthropology, political science, civil engineering, film studies, history, management, and architecture. Professionals typically have backgrounds in planning, design, and property professions, or possess administrative, business, and community experience. We offer part-time and flexible study options that let you balance work and study.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

A research and industry lead education
You engage with practitioners, alumni, and academic guests who are active in the field. You learn from experts at The Bartlett School of Planning, including Course Director Professor Fangzhu Zhang, whose innovative research is shaping urban regeneration and sustainable development policy and debates. Our faculty, The Bartlett, is ranked #1 for Built Environment studies in the world (QS World University Rankings 2025). The Bartlett is also where the UK’s most ‘World Leading’ and ‘Internationally Excellent’ built environment research is undertaken (REF 2021).

Study in London – home to a diversity of regeneration projects
Across London there is a multitude of urban regeneration projects, each with their own unique challenges, scales and community needs for you to explore and take inspiration from. The lessons from these real-world cases will also help to understand some of the general trends and challenges for regeneration in big cities across the world. London is ranked the best city for students in the UK and Europe, and holds third place worldwide (QS Best Student Cities 2026).

Build your urban regeneration career
Whether you aim to start a career in urban regeneration or enhance your professional expertise, this degree gives you with the essential skills and knowledge to succeed. Set up in 2001 by Sir Peter Hall, Urban Regeneration MSc is the longest running MSc in the Bartlett School of Planning. The degree is accredited the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), making you eligible to apply for membership and further validating the professional skills gained from your studies. You will join our global network of alumni who are leading urban regeneration projects across the public, private, and third sectors.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme
Making an impact
A photo of a mural on the side of a buildings showing images of people from various cultures and the text 'Peaslee not for sale' and 'This building is not for sale'

Podcast: What next for urban regeneration?

As populations continue to grow, can increased pressures from climate change and the financial crisis shape what modern urban regeneration means?

The foundation of your career

98.3% of Urban Regeneration MSc graduates were in work or further study within 15 months of graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-2022). Our alumni pursue diverse career paths, including roles in:

  • Local authorities and other international destinations as planning officers.
  • Government bodies such as the Greater London Authority, Homes England, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and more.
  • Private sector companies such as AECOM, JLL, Lichfields or Berkeley Homes.
  • International bodies such as UN-Habitat, or the World Bank Group.
  • Third sector organisations such as Peabody or Clarion.
  • Think tanks and universities here in the UK and abroad as researchers.

Learn more about careers in planning and our alumni’s careers ►

The Urban Regeneration MSc has really cemented my skills and experience as a regeneration professional. I continue to work in public sector regeneration, now working on a significant scale and making the kind of impact on London’s built environment that I’ve wanted to for some time.

Alex standing in front of a red tiles wall in his graduation cap and gown with a woman.

Alex Talbot

Urban Regeneration MSc graduate

Learn more about Alex's experience

Employability

Throughout your degree you will gain skills and knowledge applicable to the broad range of sectors you may find work in. These include:

  • Urban design skills;
  • Critical thinking skills;
  • Communication and presentation skills.

Support is available from UCL Careers and our careers specialist in The Bartlett School of Planning to explore your options, build valuable skills, showcase your practical experience, and navigate the job application process. This includes various events and training tailored to the industry, such as alumni and industry insight panels, career taster sessions, masterclasses, careers fairs and more.

Learn more about careers support for planning students at UCL ►

Networking

We encourage and give opportunity for students to engage with practitioners, alumni and academic guests through seminars, events, and site visits. To boost employability, students can participate in workshops with academic and professional partners and collaborate with the private sector. Upon graduating you have the opportunity to join our Urban Regeneration MSc alumni network on LinkedIn, connecting with peers and previous graduates now working in a range of relevant sectors, and attending exclusive events.

Accreditation

Urban Regeneration MSc is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

For RPTI Licentiate membership this degree is accredited as both a ‘combined/full’ degree, achieved by taking specific modules as electives, and as a ‘specialist/partial’ degree which can be used alongside an accredited ‘spatial/partial’ undergraduate degree.

Learn more about urban planning degree accreditation ► 

Teaching and learning

During your studies you are engaged in interactive learning. Alongside lectures, seminars and tutorials we include field trips, group project work, presentations and individual assessments. We also have significant input from industry experts and external contributors. These diverse approaches to teaching and learning are developed to enhance your experience on the Urban Regeneration MSc.

You will be assessed through essays, group projects, presentations, reports, an unseen written examination and the dissertation.

In Term 1 and Term 2 full-time students can typically expect between 8 and 12 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials. Students will also complete independent study (25 to 30 hours per week), focusing on self-directed learning and coursework. In Term 3 and the summer period students will be completing their own dissertation research, keeping regular contact with their dissertation supervisors.

Modules

This course consists of six compulsory modules on the theory and practice of urban regeneration, two elective modules of your choice, and a masters’ dissertation.

The structure of the academic year is:

Term 1 (October–December)

Term 2 (January–March)

Term 3 (April–May)

Summer (June–September)

Elective modules can be selected from across UCL. You can explore options from The Bartlett School of Planning on our ‘Specialising in your urban planning master's degree’ page. If you are seeking to gain an RPTI accredited ‘combined’ degree, your elective modules should include:

Full-time students complete this course in one year and usually study for 37.5 hours per week during term time, which includes in-class and self-study time. Typically, lectures and seminars occur on two-three days per week.

This course consists of six compulsory modules on the theory and practice of urban regeneration, two elective modules of the students’ choice, and a masters’ dissertation. Study is generally completed in two years (ie double the length of the corresponding full-time course), with the student enrolled on all modules and attending lectures and seminars on-site at UCL.

Year 1 - Term 1

Year 1 - Term 2

Year 2 - Term 1

Year 2 - Term 2

Year 2 - Term 3

Elective modules can be selected from across UCL. You can explore options from The Bartlett School of Planning on our ‘Specialising in your urban planning master's degree’ page. If you are seeking to gain an RPTI accredited ‘combined’ degree, your elective modules should include:

Full-time students study for 37.5 hours per week during term time. Typically, lectures and seminars occur on two to three days per week. Part-time and Flexible students normally attend half this amount, but this may include taught sessions on more than one day per week. However, due to timetabling and venue availability restrictions no guarantee can be given that we will be able to offer this every year. There is also no guarantee that the electives you may wish to choose will be offered on the same day as the rest of your classes. Your coursework may require you to dedicate more than one slot per week to fieldwork or study.

This course consists of six compulsory modules on the theory and practice of urban regeneration, two elective modules of the students’ choice, and a masters’ dissertation. Study can take a maximum of five years to complete, with the student enrolled in all modules and attending lectures and seminars on-site at UCL. Study is undertaken on a module-by-module basis, with the student accumulating credit by selecting which module(s) to complete in any given year. Students do not have to take modules every year. The progression of modules should be discussed with the course director, but students are encouraged to follow a similar route to that of part-time students.

Elective modules can be selected from across UCL. You can explore options from The Bartlett School of Planning on our ‘Specialising in your urban planning master's degree’ page. If you are seeking to gain an RPTI accredited ‘combined’ degree, your elective modules should include:

Compulsory modules












Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits in total. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Urban Regeneration.

Fieldwork

The course includes a residential field trip exploring urban regeneration themes in a different context. In the past, we’ve visited Edinburgh, Dublin, Milan, Athens. This is an opportunity to consider built environment issues in real world settings, develop comparative analysis skills, and network as a course community.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Where you'll study

Two students looking at an exhibition of student work

The Bartlett School of Planning is one of the leading research-led planning schools within Europe. We offer a hands-on learning environment, guided by urban planning experts and practitioners. Our degrees empower students to unleash their creativity and shape the future of future of cities.

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Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Bartlett Promise UK Scholarship

Join our virtual event to explore our postgraduate courses, hear from academic staff and current students, and learn about the application process, scholarships, and career support. A live Q&A will give you the chance to get your questions answered. Take the next step toward shaping a more sustainable built environment with us.

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Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £19,300 £9,650
Tuition fees (2026/27) £39,200 £19,600

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a £350 deposit will be charged.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a £500 deposit will be charged.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

This course includes one field trip. Travel and accommodation (including breakfast) for the trip will be covered by UCL, however students will need to cover the costs for visas, other daily meals and any other personal expenses. The exact costs will depend on the location and prevailing exchange rates; however, it is estimated that students would need to budget between £200 and £300.

During the course we will also attend site visits across London. Students will need to pay for their own transport to sites. Based on visits last year you should expect to budget up to £60 across the year to access sites by public transport. Sites are always within the TFL travel zones.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

In our faculty, The Bartlett Promise Scholarship aims to enable students from backgrounds underrepresented in the built environment to pursue master's studies. Please see the UK Master's scholarship and Sub-Saharan Africa Master's scholarship pages for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.

We have given an overview of other funding options you may be eligible for on The Bartlett School of Planning and The Bartlett websites.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Bartlett Promise Sub-Saharan Africa Masters Scholarship

Deadline: 29 March 2026
Value: Fees, stipend and other allowances (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: Overseas

Bartlett Promise UK Master's Scholarship

Deadline: 31 May 2026
Value: Full tuition fees and an annual stipend of £17,096 for a 12 month master's or £15,864 for a 9 month (Duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

In your application make sure you tell us:

  • why you want to study Urban Regeneration at graduate level
  • why you want to study Urban Regeneration at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the course
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this course
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme aims to deliver. 

To support you in the application process we have written a guide on writing a personal statement for an urban planning degree. 

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Bartlett School of Planning
Bartlett School of Planning

bartlett.pg-bsp@ucl.ac.uk

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